Saco River
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The Saco River (
Abenaki The Abenaki (Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was predom ...
: ''Sαkóhki'') is a river in northeastern
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
and southwestern
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, emptying into the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
at
Saco Bay Saco Bay is a small curved embayment of the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic coast of Maine in the United States. The name derives "from a map of the coastline made in 1525 by the Spanish explorer Esteban Gómez. He named the bay ''Bahio de Saco'' ...
, from its source.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
accessed June 30, 2011
It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000 people in thirty-five towns; and historically provided transportation and water power encouraging development of the cities of
Biddeford Biddeford is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census. The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddeford Poo ...
and Saco and the towns of Fryeburg and Hiram. The name "Saco" comes from the
Eastern Abenaki The Abenaki (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian languages, Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. ...
word '' ɑkohki', meaning "land where the river comes out". ''
The Jesuit Relations ''The Jesuit Relations'', also known as ''Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France'', are chronicles of the Jesuit missions in New France. The works were written annually and printed beginning in 1632 and ending in 1673. Originally written ...
'', ethnographic documents from the 17th century, refer to the river as ''Chouacoet''.


Course

The river rises at Saco Lake in
Crawford Notch Crawford Notch is a major pass through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located in Hart's Location. Roughly half of that town is contained in Crawford Notch State Park. The high point of the notch, at approximately above sea level, is at ...
in the White Mountains and flows generally south-southeast through Bartlett and Conway in
Carroll County, New Hampshire Carroll County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 50,107, making it the third-least populous county in New Hampshire. Its county seat is O ...
before crossing into
Oxford County, Maine Oxford County is a county in the state of Maine, United States. As of the 2020 Census, the county had a population of 57,777. Its county seat is the town of Paris. The county was formed on March 4, 1805, by the Massachusetts General Court in th ...
. Shortly after entering Fryeburg, Maine, the river branches into the "Old Course" Saco River and the more commonly used "Canal River". Constructed in the 1800s to be more convenient for farmers, the long canal is shorter than the old course and is now considered to be the official course for the river, as the upstream end of the old course is largely silted over. The two channels merge again near
Lovell, Maine Lovell is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,104 at the 2020 census. Lovell is the site of Kezar Lake, a resort area. History In 1774, the Massachusetts General Court granted New Suncook Plantation to the offic ...
. After running through six
hydropower Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, converting the Pot ...
stations operated by
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(including
Skelton Dam The Skelton Dam is an embankment dam on the Saco River between the towns of Buxton and Dayton in York County, Maine. It is located about northwest of Saco and Biddeford. The dam was completed in 1948 with the primary purpose of hydroelectri ...
and Bonny Eagle Dam), the river enters York County, crosses under
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
, and passes between Saco and Biddeford, where it is bridged by
U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
. It enters
Saco Bay Saco Bay is a small curved embayment of the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic coast of Maine in the United States. The name derives "from a map of the coastline made in 1525 by the Spanish explorer Esteban Gómez. He named the bay ''Bahio de Saco'' ...
on the Atlantic with Camp Ellis in Saco on the north shore and
Hills Beach Hills Beach is seaside community in Biddeford, Maine, Biddeford, York County, Maine, approximately north of Boston, Massachusetts. Hills Beach is a narrow stretch of sandy beach on the north side of Biddeford Pool near the mouth of the Saco Ri ...
in Biddeford on the south shore.


Stream flow

The United States government maintains two
stream gauge A stream gauge, streamgage or stream gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water level surface elevation ("stage") and/or volu ...
s on the Saco river. The first is at
Conway, New Hampshire Conway is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous community in the county, with a population of 9,822 at the 2020 census, down from 10,115 at the 2010 census. The town is on the southeastern edge of the Whi ...
() where the river's watershed is . Discharge (stream flow) here averages and has ranged from a minimum of to a maximum of . The second is at
Cornish, Maine Cornish is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,508 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland– South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The main village in town is the Cornish ...
() where the watershed is . Flow here averages and has ranged from a minimum of to a maximum of .


Attractions

The Saco is a popular recreational river, drawing an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 people per summer weekend, mostly on the stretch from Swan's Falls (a campground formerly maintained by the
Appalachian Mountain Club Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the oldest outdoor group in the United States. Created in 1876 to explore and preserve the White Mountains in New Hampshire, it has expanded throughout the northeastern U.S., with 12 chapters stretching from Ma ...
and now maintained by the Saco River Recreation Council), to
Brownfield, Maine Brownfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,631 at the 2020 census. Brownfield is home to the Stone Mountain Arts Center. History The area was once territory of the Pequawket Abenaki Indians, whose main ...
. There are many sand beaches along the Saco when not at flood stage and camping is allowed along some of these beaches for free. Misuse, including large quantities of garbage left behind by users and illegal fires, as well as discourtesy toward landowners, has led many beaches to be posted and monitored. A permit is required from the State of Maine for campfires along any unposted river beaches. The Saco is a major attraction for canoeists. One area of the river, Walker's Rip, is a set of rapids that has caused less talented canoers to capsize, although it can be navigated successfully. Several
canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
rentals are available throughout the river's distance. The Saco River is also famous for sport fishing, even though the number of fish in it has decreased tremendously throughout time.


Problems

Multiple violent and reportedly alcohol-related incidents in 2001 led to increased police patrols and efforts by livery companies, landowners, and government agencies to improve conditions.


Major tributaries

Listed from source to mouth: * Dry River (left) *
Sawyer River The Sawyer River is a river in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean in Maine. The Sawyer River rises in the unincorporated township of Livermore, New Ha ...
(right) * Rocky Branch (left) * Ellis River (left) *
East Branch Saco River The East Branch of the Saco River is a river in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean in Maine. The East Branch rises near the northern boundary of Jacks ...
(left) * Swift River (right) *
Old Course Saco River The Old Course Saco River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 30, 2011 river in the towns of Fryeburg and Lovell in western Maine in the United States. It was the ...
(left) * Shepards River (right) * Tenmile River (right) * Hancock Brook (left) *
Ossipee River The Ossipee River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 30, 2011 river in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco ...
(right) *
Little Ossipee River The Little Ossipee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 30, 2011 tributary of the Saco River in southwestern Maine, USA. It rises at the outlet of Balch Pond ...
(right)


See also

*
List of rivers of Maine A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
List of rivers of New Hampshire This is a list of rivers and significant streams in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. All watercourses named "River" (freshwater or tidal) are listed here, as well as other streams which are either subject to thNew Hampshire Comprehensive Shoreland ...


References


External links


EPA Saco River Watershed Profile


at MaineRivers.org * Real-time flow data for th
Conway, NH
an
Cornish, ME
gages
Saco River Corridor Commission

Saco River Cleanup
an annual event sponsored by the Saco River Recreation Council
"Popular river struggles with balancing act"
''Portland Press Herald'', Aug. 11, 2002 {{Authority control Rivers of Carroll County, New Hampshire Rivers of Oxford County, Maine Rivers of York County, Maine Maine placenames of Native American origin New Hampshire placenames of Native American origin